Family is everything
by Missnephilim
Summary: Derek has had to go through a lot of horrifying experiences in his short life. After the most recent horror he tries to shut himself away from the world. Peter encourages him to talk about it which leads to Derek's realization about his new family.


**Comfort**

 **One Friday night the pack was spending time with each other after dealing with the latest threat in Beacon Hills. A group of hunters who used to work with Kate tried to burn the loft down with Derek inside.**

 **Needless to say, Derek had been through a traumatic week. He had to relive the horrible memory of witnessing the fire that ruined his life.**

 **It was now 9pm and everyone was making small talk in the den. There was no music, no TV; everyone simply talked and drank. This was exactly what everyone needed after a week like this.**

 **Derek had been sitting alone in the large armchair for over an hour. He hadn't said a word since the pack started to arrive and they were all starting to worry. Especially Peter who knew his nephew the best and knew what he could be like when he let his thoughts run wild.**

" **Derek. Why don't you join in conversation?" Lydia asked trying to coax Derek out of his shell. The alpha simply raised his head for a moment and glanced around briefly before returning to his previous activity of glaring a hole into the floor.**

" **You can't stay quiet forever, Derek" Peter said which made everyone go silent. "Saying it out loud might get it off your chest"**

 **After a long pause Derek looked up and for the first time the pack saw tears in the corner of his eyes.**

" **I can't" he stuttered and took a deep breath. The pack remained silent as their alpha gently closed his eyes and willed the tears to go away. When he opened them again he saw the entire pack looking at him with a mix of concern and anticipation.**

" **Fine, I guess your right" Derek started then rubbed his hands over his face once before continuing "When the fire happened me and Laura were at school. It happened on a Friday, my favourite day of the week. I had all my favourite lessons and even had the basketball championship that evening. I remember Cora being so excited about it even though she had no idea how the game worked" Derek laughed slightly at the fond memory and made a mental note to call Cora that night and remind her he was grateful she was still alive.**

" **My whole family were excited because I was the team captain. They even made signs the night before saying-"Derek said but peter interrupted.**

" **Give em hell Hale!" Peter also had tears in his eyes as he chuckled at the memory of making the signs.**

" **God they were all so embarrassing sometimes" despite his words there was no viciousness behind them. "They all sent me messages telling me how they were excited for my game." Derek paused for a moment and smiled as he reminisced. However, after a brief second his smile faltered and he continued.**

" **I was in my last lesson when the sheriff pulled me out of history class. Your dad-" Derek said as he looked directly at Stiles "- took me to the end of the corridor where Laura was waiting. God, she looked so bored, as if she could be doing better things. I remember saying 'What is this about?' like the cocky little shit I was. Laura was the first to smell the nervousness and distress coming off of him.**

" **He started with 'I truly am sorry for what I'm about to say-'at that point Laura and I looked at each other and we both felt the shift as she became the Alpha. The sheriff then said 'There's been a fire' and before he could continue Laura and I ran as fast as we could out of the school and towards our house. We ran as fast as we could and didn't look back for a single second. When we reached the house my heart stopped.**

" **There were police and forensics outside. I dropped to my knees as I looked at what used to be my childhood home. Beside me Laura let out this scream that was filled with so much hate and revenge. As the police came up to us we both tried to fight to get closer to the house and investigate for ourselves.**

" **That was the day I lost everything. I lost the ability and will to live. I shut everything and everyone out including Laura. God, there were so many people in that house! There were children, human children at that! If only I was never stupid enough to think that Kate was in love with me" Derek was screaming and shouting at this point and every single member of the pack including the humans could feel the despair coming off of him.**

" **When the hunters tried to set the loft on fire today, it reminded me of the house. The place that I grew up in was returned to dust and if it were to happen again I don't know what I'd do. But one thing is for sure, I wouldn't be able to live with myself knowing that I failed another pack."**

 **As he finished he looked up and made eye contact with the pack. Tears were running down his face and the entire pack could see the pain in his eyes.**

 **Everyone was in tears and Peter was desperately trying to keep himself together for Derek's sake. Stiles was the first person to react as he got up from his position on the floor and walked over to sit beside Derek. Stiles put his arm around Derek and let the older man cry into his neck.**

" **You never have to feel that again. We're here for you Derek. We're not just your pack we're your family. We love you Derek despite the mistakes you've made. Kate tricked you Derek" The werewolf flinched at the mention of the huntresses name "But what she did does not take away your right to love again." Every single word Stiles said came from the heart.**

 **Derek raised his head from Stiles neck and looked the younger man straight in the eyes. Stiles was right, everyone has the right to love no matter the mistakes they've made in the past. When Derek looked into Stiles' eyes he sees a young boy who has grown into an independent man and who is wise beyond his years.**

" **Come on pups let's give these two some privacy" Peter said as he ushered the other pack members out of the room. Before Peter closed the door he looked back at his nephew. Over the last few years Peter had seen Derek grow up and become the amazing young man he is today.**

 **To the Hale's family was everything. After the fire Derek and Laura lost that sense of family as they were two young pups cast out into the wild. They had lost everything and most importantly they had lost the one thing they held most dear; their family.**

 **Now after Laura's death Derek has been forced to grown up too quickly. He never got the chance to be a proper teenager because that choice was ripped away from him. He relied too much on his heart and not enough on his mind.**

 **But as Derek looked at Stiles now he saw his future. He knew Stiles would never betray him for Stiles' heart was pure. Stiles was exactly what Derek needed to keep himself grounded. He now had a pack and was on his way to creating a beautiful relationship.**

 **He had a family and for the first time since Laura died he felt a true sense of family. Because, after all, family is everything.**


End file.
